Paywall Trial

This feature only available when paywall is in client mode. In server mode you can set subscription-based trial. Read more.

Learn how to configure trial periods for your paywall to give users free access before requiring payment. Paywall trials help increase conversion rates by allowing users to experience your product’s value.

Overview

Paywall trials come in two main types:

Before Paywall Trials - (Only for regular paywalls) Delay showing the paywall for a specific time or number of actions
After Paywall Trials - Offer free subscription access after users provide payment details

Types of Trials

Before Paywall Opens

Not available for tokenized paywalls: When using tokenized paywalls, before-paywall trials are not available. Instead, trials are configured as trial tokens that are automatically deposited to users’ accounts after registration.

These trials delay when the paywall first appears to users:

Trial Type	Description	Best For
No Trial	Paywall appears immediately	Premium content, established brands
Trial Time	Paywall appears after specified hours	Apps where usage patterns develop over time
Trial Actions	Paywall appears after user performs N actions	Feature-based apps, tools with clear actions

After Paywall Opens

This trial happens after users see the paywall and provide payment details:

Free Trial Duration - Users get full access for specified days before charges begin
Requires payment method - Users must provide valid payment details upfront
Automatic billing - Subscription starts automatically after trial ends

How to enable trial?

Step 1: Choose Trial Strategy

Decide which type of trial best fits your product:

No Trial

Show paywall immediately when users access premium features.

Use when:

You have strong brand recognition
Content has immediate perceived value
Users understand the value proposition quickly

Configuration: Simply select “No trial” option.

Step 2: Configure Before-Paywall Trial

Set up the trial that happens before users see the paywall:

Timer vs Actions: Time-based trials work well for apps used over multiple sessions, while action-based trials work better for apps with discrete, valuable actions.

Time-Based Configuration:

Time in hours - How long users can access app before paywall appears
Typical values - 24 hours (1 day), 72 hours (3 days), 168 hours (1 week)
Starts counting - When user first call paywall.open()

Action-Based Configuration:

Number of trial openings - How many actions users can perform
Typical values - 3-10 actions for most apps
Action definition - Usually app opens, action completed

Step 3: Configure After-Paywall Trial

Set up free trial period after users provide payment details:

Free Trial Duration:

Duration in days - How many days of free access (0-365 days)
Payment required - Users must provide valid payment method
Auto-billing - Subscription starts automatically after trial
Typical durations - 7 days, 14 days, 30 days

Trial Implementation Details

Time-Based Trial Flow

When a user performs a “paid action” and paywall.open() is called:

Technical Details:

First opening - timestamp is saved to browser’s localStorage or chrome storage
Subsequent openings - check if the set time period has passed (e.g., 24 hours)
After expiration - paywall.open() returns an error with visibility_reason = 'trial-time'
Data storage - trial data is stored locally in the user’s browser

Action-Based Trial Flow

Similar flow for action-based trial, but tracks action counter instead:

Technical Details:

Action counter - stored in localStorage or chrome storage and incremented with each call
Limit check - when exceeding the set number of actions (e.g., 5)
After exceeding - paywall.open() returns an error with visibility_reason = 'trial-actions'
Counter reset - only happens when localStorage is cleared or on fresh installation

Important: Trial data is stored in the browser’s localStorage or chrome storage. If the user clears their browser or uses incognito mode, the trial may reset.

Trial Strategy Best Practices

Before-Paywall Trials

Match trial to user journey - Consider how users typically discover value
Don’t make trials too long - Risk users forgetting about your app
Track trial effectiveness - Monitor conversion rates for different trial lengths
Provide value quickly - Ensure users see benefits within trial period

After-Paywall Trials

Require payment upfront - Reduces trial abuse and improves conversion
Communicate clearly - Tell users exactly when billing will start
Send reminders - Notify users before trial ends
Make cancellation easy - Builds trust and reduces support burden

Next Steps

After configuring trials:

Paywall with trial guide Create customer portal Create offer